It is the very premise of the famed Manhattan project upon which the show is based, as well as the town of Los Alamos, which in the series remains unnamed and shrouded in mystery. In fact, “A New Approach To Nuclear Cosmology” (an intentional, but nevertheless annoying mouthful of a title) hardly mentions the atomic bomb that has served as a pretext for Manhattan’s pointed exploration of blurred moral lines and deadly paranoia in times of war. It does, however, feature more deception than a drag-ball at the CIA headquarters. Very few among us could give a categorical answer to this question without at least taking a moment to contemplate. That’s because we are human, and ethics is not intrinsically bound to morality. While we might find it morally just to take a certain course of action, the ethical compass that guides social institutions such as work and family do not generally allow for gray area; and it is precisely this gray area that fascinates the team behind Manhattan. To further complicate things, Winter gives Isaacs the opportunity to make good on his ethical lapse by lying to the shadowy government security forces that lurk about the base like a menacing specter. In Winter’s characteristic style, the proposition is not so much an exhortation as a threat, but in this case it is clear (or as clear as anything can be in this universe) that what Winter is asking of Isaacs is absolutely the morally correct course of action: save the innocent scientist Glen Babbit from an anti-communist purge by lying about his affiliation with a defected American scientist. As he should, Isaacs ultimately acquiesces, but even this clearly justified deception begs the question: how far will the lying go? Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all news updates related to the world of geek. And Google+, if that’s your thing!
